Cooling system for crank cases of internal-combustion engines



\ Oct. 11, 1927, 34

J. P. GLASBY. JR

COOLING SYSTEM FOR CRANK CASES OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES ,Filed NOV. 14. 1923 PatenteclQct. 111, i927.

siren STATES FATE JONATHAN P. GLASBY, JR, 0F VEEONA, NEW/JERSEY.

Application filed November 14, 1923. Serial No. 674,636.

For the effective operation of internal combustion engines the heat generated by the combustion of the fuelmixture should be conducted away from the cylinders as rapidly as possible. A current of air flowing contactingly past the cylinders and cylinder heads or the circulation of water in a water jacket surrounding the cylinders and cylinder heads may be relied upon in great measureto cool'those portions of the engine but the crank case and interior of the piston are not effectively cooled in this manner. Th e present invention has for its object to reduce the] temperature in the crank case and to conduct away the heat from the inner side of the piston. In carrying out the invention a cooling medium, such as a gas, is introducedinto the crank case where a heat interchange occurs between the heated interior of the crank case and piston and the relatively cooler medium whereafter the cooling medium, considerably raised in temperature, is exhaustedout of the crank case. More particularly, the invention contemplates the subdivision of the crank case into a plurality of compartments corresponding respectively to the engine cylinders, into each of which air at atmospheric temperature may be admitted and from each of which the air after taking up heat from the crank case and piston is exhausted. Preferably each compartment is provided with a valve controlled air inlet port anda valve controlled air outlet port, the air inlet ports being in communication with an air inlet manifold and the air out-let ports beingin communication with an air outlet manifold which, if desired, may be provided with an oil separator whereby any oil carried out of the crank case with the outgoing air may be separated and returned to the sump.

The invention will now be described in greater particularity in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof and in which;

Figure 1 is a view in end elevation and partly in section of the crank case and a portion of the cylinder of an internal combustion engine showing the application of the invention thereto.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation and partly in section taken in the plane indicated by the broken line 2-2 of Figure 1.

The engine which in the illustrated embodiment comprises a bank of four cylinders a, a, 0"; i carried with a crank case Z2; the

Communication, such as the opening 6, is

also providedbetween each chamber 5 and the sump 7) whereby oil may drain from each chamber into the sump. I

In the preferred embodiment each chamber Z) is formed with two openings arranged on opposite sides of the chamber, the openings F2 on one side of each chamber being illustrated in Figure 2. The series of openings on one side of the crank case intended for the admission of air are in communication with an air inlet manifold (Z by means of fittings 6 provided with check valves permitting the ingress of air but preventing its egress. On the opposite side of the crank case the openings Z) are in communication with an air outlet manifold cl by means of fittings provided with check valves f which permit the egress of air but prevent its ingress. Manifold (Z is provided at one end and preferably therear end with a stand pipe open at its upper end while'the other end of the manifold is closed.- The stand pipe g, may if desired, be provided with a screen (not shown) to filter the air taken into the crank case. Manifold (Z is also open at one end and preferably at the rear end and this is connected to a stand pipe 9' by means of an oil trap 72/ connected through the pipe it with the sump 7).

In operation, it will be apparent that on every upstroke of a piston a the reduction of pressure in the particular chamber 6 will permit an inrush of air at atmospheric temperature past the check valve f. A heat interchange will then take place between the metal walls of the crank case and piston and the cooler air. Upon the downstroke of the same piston, the air will be forced out past the check valve 7" and exhausted into the atmosphere through the stand pipe g. Oil, either vapor or liquid may be carried out of the crank case in the stream of -'T i re, to recover this oil k may be provided from which the oil may v be returned to the sump pipe h.

To facilitate the transfer of heat from the head of the piston to the cooling medium the interior of the piston head may be provided with a series of annular concentrically arranged vanes (1 It will thus be seen that there has been provided means whereby the interior of the piston and the crank case is filled with relatively cold air at each operation of the pis' ton whereby a heat interchange may take place between the heated metal parts of the motor and the air. Upon the downstroke of the piston this warmed air is driven out of the crank case and exhausted into the atmosphere.

While there has been shown very conventionally an internal combustion engine comprising a bank of four cylinders, it will be obvious that the invention is equally applicable to an engine comprising one cylinder or any number of cylinders of either the tandem or V type. Variouschanges may be made in the arrangement and disposition of the air intake and outlet passages without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and such changes are deemed to be within the ambit of the present invention so long as they are covered by the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is: i

1. In a cooling system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having pistons reciprocating therein, the combination with the crank case, of means to divide the crank case into chambers corresponding respectively t0 the cylinders, an air inlet in each chamber, a check valve to control each air inlet, respectively, an air outlet in each chamber, and a check valve to control each air outlet, respectively and permit the escape of the air freely into the atmosphere.

2. In a cooling system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having pisthrough the tons reciprocating therein, the combination with the crank case, of means to divide the crank case into chambers corresponding respectively to the cylinders, an air inlet in each chamber, a check valve to control each air inlet respectively, a manifold in communication with said air inlets, an air outlet in. each chamber, a. check valve to control each air outlet respectively, a

manifold in connection with said outlets for the free escape of the air to the atmosphere. means for separating oil from the air in said outlet manifold and means to return the separated oil to the crank case.

3. In a multi-cylinder internal. combustion engine having pistons reciprocating therein and a crank case, means to divide said crankcase into chambers corresponding to the engine cylinders, an air inlet in each chamber, a check valve to control each air inlet respectively, a manifold in connection with said air inlets, an air outlet in each chamber, a check valve to control each air outlet respectively, a manifold in connection with said air outlets for the free escape of the air to the atmosphere, the interior of the piston head being formed with fins, an oil trap, and a pipe to conduct oil from the trap to the crank case.

4. In a cooling system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having pistons reciprocating therein, the combination with the crank case, of means to divide the crank case into chambers corresponding respectively to the cylinders, an air inlet in each chamber, a check valve to control each air inletrespectively, a manifold in connection with the air inlets, an air outlet in each chamber, a check valve to control each air outlet, respectively, and amanifold communicating with said outlets and with the atmosphere to permit the escape of the air freely into the atmosphere. This specification signed this 12th day of November, A. D. 1923.

JONATHAN P. GLASBY, JR. 

